Porting To Xbox

[Rick]

There is also one other thing that the consoles are going to have an advantage from: Natal and Move.

 

That's what I'm talking about. It's not like this can't be for the PC. PC's can do everything a console can do. A console is a dumbed computer.

 

The biggest advantage I can see is that there isn't any question about if your PC can run a game. On a console it's easy. If you have an XBox 360, you can play XBox360 or below games. PC's and PC game titles should come out with a numbering system. They would start out with 1 and it would mean certain specs need on the PC to play. This would require it to be a standard across all specs in the world. Then PC makers would give a rating based on a PC they sell. This way it's a no brainer if your PC can run the game. If your PC that you bought from dell has a rating of 3 for games, then when you go to the store to look at PC games you look at games with a rating of 3 or less, and you know your PC can handle it. I think industry standards could be created and agreed on by game companies and PC manufacturers like Dell.

[Canardia]

I think industry standards could be created and agreed on by game companies and PC manufacturers like Dell.

Yeah, that's a good idea, and I had something similar in mind since years too. Your Rank or Class idea is better than what I was thinking, because my PC8 idea would just mean that it has a GeForce 8800 or better card. With a Class 3 this can be done much more specific while at the same time supporting a broader range of hardware. I'll publish a Global Standard specification about this soon, then all game developers can use it.

[Mumbles]

How would it keep up with time though? I'm not opposed to the idea at all, but let's say that I release a grade 3 game tomorrow, and so all grade 3 computers can play it. Next year, another grade 3 game comes out, but the hardware from last year's grade 3 computers isn't really up to the task anymore...

 

Would there be a date system whereby your computer is grade 3 as of the manufacture date (say, 07 May 2010), and the game labelled as requiring at least a grade 3 computer from 07 May 2010 or earlier?

 

Would a grade 3, this time next year, be branded as a grade 8? (Assuming there are 5 grades) This way there's no confusion with people wondering "which grade 3?" But if so, what would the largest number be? You just couldn't have people rolling 2^64-1 off the the tip of their tongue.

 

Or any other way I've not thought of...

 

Additionally, where would grades be obtained for custom-build machines? I certainly prefer to mix and match the components I want, and just wish it was as easy for laptops as it is for fixed machines...

 

It's one of the downsides of IBM's original idea. With a console, for a 360 game, you just need a 360 because the hardware is static and virtually can't be changed (whilst keeping the warranty intact)

[Canardia]

The grades would never change, but only new ones would be added.

A Class 0 PC would be always the same, it would be the minimum PC which can be bought and used for something, for example as a text based terminal console.

A Class 8 PC would be for example always a PC which has a GeForce 8800 or similar graphics card, plus some CPU and RAM requirement.

This would maybe result in a new class every 1-3 years approximately.

[Rick]

The grades would always be getting higher. As years go on and new hardware comes out the grades just keep incrementing. A grade basically represents hardware at a given point in time. The grade on certain hardware won't ever change. So a grade of 1 on Dell PC x will always be a grade of 1. It tells you that with that hardware you can only play games with a grade of 1 on their box or whatever. Eventually the grade 1 for hardware will just drop off the planet as it gets so old no one would buy it. My guess is that it would probably be a addition of other hardware that gives the grade. Like processor, memory, & graphics card.

 

Additionally, where would grades be obtained for custom-build machines?

 

Well honestly the grading system would be setup for people who don't custom build. If you custom build you know what you are putting in. You can compare that to the specs of each grade out there and see where it falls. This system would be setup for people who aren't into building their own PC like most console people probably are.

[Canardia]

It doesn't matter if the PC is custom built or not. Actually all PCs are custom built. Even Dell, Compaq and IBM puts random stuff in their machines and sell them as exactly the same model. At least IBM has a seperate type signature which tells that it's slightly different internally. I've opened brand PCs and sometimes they had seagate HDs, sometimes Maxtor, sometimes IBM, and although they all had 40GB, the quality and life-expectation of those HDs is completely different. Some had GeForce, ATI, Video7 cards, but the specs said only they had a SVGA-capable video card with 8MB memory, and still the model of PC was the same.

And there can be a tool which tells you which Class your PC is when you run it.

[Fosef]

I agree with Aggror about the coming home and plopping down on the couch thing. I love PC gaming, I remember how hard it was for me to bring myself to buy the 360 due to elitism of being a PC Gamer. But I too work in front of a computer all day, and there is just something about the relaxation of sitting/laying on the couch and being able to play comfortably that I don't get on the PC. In fact, I'm tempted to hook my PC up to the TV so that I don't have to go sit in the computer chair. B) Hmmmm

[Canardia]

For me it's much harder to sit on the couch, because I have it always unfolded as a bed. So it's easier to sit on the PC and use the PC for entertainment instead of work. A PC is like breathing air, you just need it to live. You also use air for entertainment and work, so it doesn't matter what you use, but for what purpose you use it.

[Mumbles]

It doesn't matter if the PC is custom built or not. Actually all PCs are custom built. Even Dell, Compaq and IBM puts random stuff in their machines and sell them as exactly the same model.

 

I didn't mean that - I meant that obviously, for prebuilt, off-the-shelf machines, the onus would be on the manufacturer to apply the grade. Whereas a custom build would either require the full system specs to be listed on the game (as they currently are) or there would have to be a way to obtain the grade. I would guessed that the grading idea would totally replace minimum specifications if the idea ever caught on.

 

 

And there can be a tool which tells you which Class your PC is when you run it.

 

That's what I was thinking you were going to suggest. But I thought I'd ask in case you had a different idea.

[Fosef]

Isn't this grading system something that Microsoft tried with Vista? You ran a program and it gave you scores based on each of your main specs, and a final score. Games were supposed to have a number on them also. But with the failure of conception of Vista...well I guess it never caught on.

 

Yeah, here is one article...

 

Windows System Score

 

Edit*

Funny, I just read it...and at the time it was written is when my rig was considered the "sweetest new rig". Which it was when I built it!

[Guest Red Ocktober]

when console makers add VR headsets and tactile glove interfaces... and bundle Gears of War - VR Edition... then i'll spring for one...

 

B)

 

--Mike

[Jordan]

PC's and PC game titles should come out with a numbering system.

Windows Vista and 7 already does this, but no one seems to use it.

[Canardia]

If it would be a seperate program, then people might use it more. But if it's only in Vista and 7 and not available for XP, Linux, Mac, Android, etc..., it's quite useless.

[Mumbles]

Windows Vista and 7 already does this, but no one seems to use it.

 

I know - but it's useless. I get told that my vista laptop is **** because I choose to have aero disabled (Score of dead-on '3'). The next lowest score I think was 3.8, with the average being about 4... It's been so long since I ran it so I don't remember the scores exactly.

 

But if it's going to mark you down based on your visual preferences, then it's not worth bothering with. I would want a system that reflects my computer's capabilities, not its active settings.

[Rick]

Windows Vista and 7 already does this, but no one seems to use it.

 

That's because it's for an OS and not games. If you are a PC gamer you know there is a concern about will your game play on your current hardware. No one expected this for an OS since most OS's don't try to push hardware that hard like Vista tried to.

[niv3k]

Xbox is a downgrade and would not show the full performance of Leadwerks. I rather have it PS3 supported.

 

and i am talking about the 360

[flachdrache]

Another "closed" system i can distribute my offers to - sure. Cant understand the one who wouldnt want this to happen. Dont see any "real" way to jump over this obstacle but me, though.

 

PS: imho - its all about (render)engine [re]integration ... horrible drop dead bloody work.

PPS : many 360 games are on level with the original xbox simply because off.

[Josh]

Well yeah, if you look at the videos of CryEngine 3 on the consoles, you can see it is limited compared to the PC, but it works.

[flachdrache]

From the blury videos i saw to date i dont see any real difference between ps3 or x360 in terms of CryEngine 3 and its texture budged - iam no lab guy tbh but i expect that a PC version will be "sharper" (if) using the latest tech. Consoles do have many pros beside the "disc in / game on" but texture memory/budged aint one. Still wonder[ed] why they just show the gloom and the shooting in boring rivers, showing us boring splashes with them boring soldiers while shooting boring palms like they did yesterday. Whats up with the moisty jungle duff, the misty morning and starry nights ... eaten by alligators or what .

 

[edit] :

not moaning about the cryEngine (even if the xbox incarnation of farcry (which is "instincts" iirc) is the better game imho) but about the same/old videos action w/o any of the real eyeCandy.

[niv3k]

I just believe that the people at crytek are lazy immigrants who think they're amazing cause they made a light cycle, explosions, and cute characters that still don't surpass half life 2. plus they made a crappy engine that was aimed at higher performing hardware and not the middle class people of the world, but now cryengine 3 is out(which is still cryengine 2 just exceptional for ps3 and 360) they're finally stepping toward the guys who coded the Unreal Engine.

 

I still believe crytek has a while before they come out with a decent engine version that's actually top notch.

 

so yeah, who gives a F*** about the cryengine? this is a leadwerks forum.

[AggrorJorn]

You know Leadwerks, is also aimed towards people instead of the "middle class people". Perhaps not as high end as for Crisis but still higher then that most people have. What the people on this topic are saying is that you can learn stuff from other engines that have multiplatforming. It isn't really about the Cryengine.

[Raziel_n2gc]

As far as I know they had huge problems porting the engine. It was said to be not possible to achieve such quality on a console and they made it.

But they use lots of tricks and cheats. Sony devs supported them as much as they could. They have a budget of 20+ millions for a project.

And so on.

From my point of view, Josh should not waste time in any kind of porting!

[Pixel Perfect]

I just believe that the people at crytek are lazy immigrants who think they're amazing

That has to rate as the most biased and bizarre statement I've read in a while, but I guess some people love to be really outspoken

 

However, like Raziel, I have no great need to see Josh port his engine to the XBox360 in the near future. I'd rather he continue work on the next version (Leadwerks 3) but more importantly give support to existing people when required who are genuinely trying to code good engines with Leadwerks 2 and make games with them.

[Jordan]

That has to rate as the most biased and bizarre statement I've read in a while, but I guess some people love to be really outspoken

I've seen worse from Kevin (Gangxter)

 

As for porting to Xbox, I was one of those who voted no. For most of Leadwerks user base, developing on the Xbox 360 is an unrealistic goal at the moment, and would only divert development time away from other aspects of the engine.

[Naughty Alien]

...as i was mentioned here, i would like to clarify few things, just to avoid any misunderstanding ..

 

1) I am not porting LE in its natural form on to any console, however, my LE code is translated trough translator module, in to Phyre equivalent ready to compile on PS3..

 

2) I havent done such translator for Xbox 360, i have just recently(last week) received approval from M$, so now i will purchase Xbox360 debug console, and see how it goes..

 

I'm thinking MS and Sony just saw his game and said, sure you can develop that on our system.

 

..well..it was not exactly like that Rick..there were better looking games than mine, bumping on to same folks, but they didnt make it..so its not just about simply, they 'saw' game and just decided to go..i have spent 3 years catching folks around every single GDC except last one, and keep bumping up on to these folks, asking for meetings and what not..major reason, I do believe things moved,is persistence and of course, showing to them reasonably good quality, not best stuff but acceptable..few folks i know, had better graphics and better looking demos at that time, but they disappeared after some time..heck, i was so stubborn and keep coming until i turn to be accepted..sort of..also, there use to be some folks from Quantic Dream, i know from my private life, who use to point me in to right people, just to give a shot.. its way more complex to penetrate such environment for no name developer such as myself, then just 'they saw his game and show goes'...anyway, thats how things went for me..